Roll web indicating mechanism for newspaper printing presses



Aug. 5, 1952 A. L. IMSHAUG ,60 3

ROLL WEB INDICATING MECHANISM FUR NEWSPAPER PRINTING PRESSES Filed Jan. 22, 1949 2 SI-iEETS-SHEE'I 1 INVENTOR Ammo Lina/1400 BY i 4 g I ATTORKEYS g- 5, 1952 A. L. IMSHAUG 38 ROLL WEB INDICATING MECHANISM FOR NEWSPAPER PRINTING PRESSES Filed Jan. 22, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR A/P/VM 0 Z. [MS/M06 7L ATTORN YS Patented Aug. 5, 1952 non. wen mnioA'rrNo MECHANISM FOR NEWSPAPER PRINTING messes Amman Imshaug, 'West Springfield, Mass. as-

' signor'to AIico,'I'nc., West Springfield,

a corporation 01' Massachusetts Mesa,

Application J anuary 22, 194.9, Serial No. 72,123

2 Claims.

This invention. relates to mechanism for indicating the size and condition of running websupply rollsin a newspaper printing press apparatus when such rolls .are remotely located out of the sight of the press operator. andv has for an object to provide an indicating panel andmechanism for operating the same which will readily make available to the press operator information as to the supply of paper remaining for press operation at any given time.

Another object is to provide. an indicating mechanism which. will give notice. to the. press operator that, a' running supply roll has beeninstalled in an out of round condition and. thus enable the operator to regulate. the speed of the press unit or make other adjustments to. prevent the paper web from breaking as it passes through a press.

These and other advantages of my invention will become apparent from. the following disclosure in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1. is. a diagrammatic. view or" a multi-unit newspaper printing press apparatus with thenew indicator system operatively connected with the press mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the indicator panel of the mechanism; a

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view on line. 3-9; of Fig. 2 showing, detail of panel construction;

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing one form of switching means for the indicating elements of the panel; 7

Fig. 5 is a detail view of another form. of switch means; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of signaling means associated with the web roll. support to indicate the correct positioning thereof.

In Fig. 1 a typical newspaper printing press is shown as consisting of at least four units I each of which receives a web of paper 2 from a running web supplyroll 3. Units l are located on. a pressroom floor 4 through which anopening 5 below the unit is provided for the passage of web 2 from the reel room. A web supply device 6 with its running supply roll 3, additional supply rolls 1 and its associated mechanism (notshown) is mounted on the reel room floor 8. The web 2 of each running web roll 3 is drawn from the roll over guide rolls 9 through opening 5v to a unit roll lllandcylinders H where it receives the print. From the unit it is drawn over rolls l2 and 13 to the bight of a folder M.

It will thus be seen that a press operator located on the pressroom floor is ignorant of the exact amount of papersupply remaining on a running web roll for a'given unit I except as he may rely' on his memory for a rough calculation or the information may be conveyed to him from thereel room below. A I

I am aware that'various devices have been developed for the automatic changing of the web rolls, that is, for the-automatic signalling to indicate the end of arch is athand and-for the automatic replacement of roll 3 by a roll 1. However, so far as I am aware, no device has been proposed which will give the press operator full information at a glance by the simple mechanism of myconception.

As shown by Fig. 1, a strap or belt l5 having one end anchored as at It on the reel room floor is biased against; a roll 3' being looped over pulleys H- and I8. Pulley l8 'i's positioned over a slide plate l9 against which rests aweighted' cam 20, the latter being attached to the free end of the belt 15. It will be seen that as'the roll 3 is depleted the belt I 5 will follow the'surfaceof the roll and permit cam-20 to fall by gravity down along theplatelS.

Cam 20. in, its downward path on slide I9 will successively trip arms 2| of a series of switches 22 mounted to lie in the path of said cam. As shown by Fig. I the camming of arms Zl may close, contacts, 23 to close both sides 24 and 25 of an electrical circuit in which is located an indicator element as a lamp positioned at a panel 26 for visually identifying the condition of the rolls as the switches are actuated.

In the four press units illustrated the cam, 20 associated with each unit is shown in difierent positions to show the result of variousswitch operations. As indicated on the control panel, there are four vertical columns of windows 21, one column for each unit I. Each window of the column when lighted by a lamp indicates according to the indicia. 28. at the. right the diameter of the roll in the unit and at the left the number of newspapers which. may be run off in the press beforev a particular roll is depleted. It will be appreciated that the number of switches associated with each unit corresponds to the number of windows 21 in, the vertical columns. For. purposes of clarity only'threeof the switches 22 in each unit adjacent the cam position on slide 19 are shown to illustrate this'operation. V

Reading from left to right the cam 20 in. the full condition offthe roll operates only theftop switch contacts 23 indicating as by a light in the top windowof the column for unit I approximately at 36 inch diameter roll with the newspaper run possible with a full roll indicated at the left. As the cam is lowered by gravity the switches are successively operated and as each is lit the preceding switch is opened. Thus, a lighted window as at 29 in each column shows the size of each roll to the operator at a glance. For the second unit the roll is approximately of 30 inch diameter, the third unit of inch diameter, and the fourth of 4 inches.

A press having at least four units is illustrated by Fig. 1. The switch mechanism and panel structure may of course be used in a single: unit press or a press having any number of units.

In practice a multi-unit press is not at 'all times operated with all available units but may be operated at less than full capacity depending on the number of pages desired in the newspaper" edition being run off.

Fig. 4 illustrates another form of switch means which may be used to control lights in the panel column of windows 21 for any unit. The strap riding against the surface of roll 3 is attached at its upper end to a sprocket chain 3| looped over a sprocket 32 fixed to a cam segment wheel 33. The other end of the chain is fastened to a weight 34 which will cause the strap to ride-against the surface of roll 3 as it is unwound.

As segment 33' is rotated by the sprocket, switches 31 arranged in an are on the periphery of the segment are successively released to change the circuit connections to corresponding elements as the lamps in the panel windows 21. The lamps may all be lighted in this example when the roll is full and the successive extinguishment of each lamp in a column will indicate the size of roll papersupply. InFig. 2 thawindows 21 crossed out to-indicate extinguished lamps show the extent to which a roll has been depleted in a particular unit.

In Fig. 5 another form of weighted cam switch means is illustrated- The cam, 35 in its downward path against a slide |9 successively extinguishes the lamps by the opening of switches 36- as the roll becomes progressively smaller.

As shown by Fig. 3, lamps40 and 4| are located to illuminate, as will be described, windows 42 and 43 respectively. Windows 42 and43 indicate thelparticular unit with which1a se'ries or column of windows 21 is associated. A lamp 44 in each. window 21 is connectedin the circuit controlled by a corresponding switch of a series as above described. V

The lighting of lamps 40 and 4| is controlled by circuit switches associated with the web supply and change device as shown by Fig. 6. Lamp 40 or its window 42, is preferably red in color. lamp 4| or window '43 preferably green. As in Fig. 6 arms 45 which are located at each end of the device suspend the rolls in the usual manner between them on theroll supply device. In the correct position of arms 45 with respect to a running web roll 3 the red lamp is off and the green light on. The press operator is, thus informed of the correct positioning and that the reading according to the column of lamps 44 in windows 21 is accurate. It will be realized that if arms 45 of the running web are not correctly positioned a roll follower as strap |5 or 30 will follow the roll as it is rotated on' arms 45 and indicate less than its actual diameter and less than the true supply of paper. V

In Fig. 6 is shown aset of three cams 46 on the periphery of axle shaft 41 atone end thereof. As shown the hub of arms 45 is keyed to the shaft 41 and rotates therewith in the usual manner. 'I'hecams are spaced at points degrees apart and when arms 45 correctly position a running web 3 one of the cams 46 actuates a switch 48 controlling the red lamp 40 and breaks the circuit thereof. Another of the earns 48 simultaneously actuates a switch 49 to make the circuit to light the green lamp 4|. It will be noted that if arms 45 swing in either direction the cams will operate to release the switches and signal the incorrect positioning of a roll by lighting the red lamp and extinguishing the green.

In addition to giving an operator notice of a false reading on the panel as to the reserve of paper on the roll a further advantage is to be noted in that the operator may be guided in adjusting the press by knowledge of the incorrect position. As may frequently happen when workmen in the reel room and out of sight of the operator are mounting a new roll on the arms of a supply device the shaft 41 is turned and the running web shifted. This may cause the running web to slacken or tighten excessively and result in poor printing or uneven running of the entire press. Where the press operator knows the roll position is incorrect he can arrange to have the same corrected or take into account that workmen are installing a fresh roll on the device. In either event various experimental adjustments of the machine to correct, the condition noted by the operator will not be necessary.

Both the green and red lamps are preferred so as to have a positive indication from each of the switches 48 and 49, although it will be readily apparent that a single switch as either 48 or 49 will signal an incorrect position by lighting or extinguishing a lamp as cam 46 is turned away from a switch arm.

Itis to be noted that the straps or belts I! or 30 hearing against or riding on the surface of a running web roll 3 are in contact therewith at all times. In the event the roll 3 is out of round, because of mishandling in shipment or otherwise, the belt will cause the weighted cam means to progress unevenly as We jerking motion. The jerking action will then be communicated to the switches as they are initially actuated. The result will be an intermittent on and off flashing of a lamp in window 21 of the panel. The press operator on seeing the flashing light will then recognize that the web roll of a particular unit is out of round or of an uneven surface. Since rolls in such condition may break because of an uneven tension of the running web and the resultant Jerky motion of the web in the press, the operator may then make unit adjustments to compensate for the roll condition by slowing the press or otherwise.

Having disclosed my invention, I claim:

1. In a newspaper printing press installation having a plurality of remotely located web supply roll units and printing units associated therewith, the combination with an indicating means for indicating the remaining running capacity of said installation including a panel having a plurality of indicator elements with said elements being arranged in a plurality of individually separated series, each individual series being associated with one of said web supply units and having each element thereof corresponding to an element of every other series and arranged in adjacent relation thereto, with indicia identifying each of said individual series and said corresponding elements in each series; of actuator means including a measuring device associated with each of said web units and constantly measuring the diameter of a running web supply roll thereof and responsive to an uneven surface thereof, a series of switches at each of said web units operatively connected to .the individual series of indicator elements associated therewith by said indicating means, and a switch actuator operatively connected with and responsive to the measuring device successively engaging each of said series of switches in sequence as the diameter of a running web roll is progressively exhausted, said actuator intermittently actuating a, switch of said series on movement of said device in response to an uneven diameter of a roll.

2. In a newspaper press unit having indicating means for indicating the remaining running capacity of the running web rolls of said press, an actuator mechanism for said indicating means comprising a measuring device constantly meas- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 763,011 Mietaschk June 21, 1904 1,071,608 Dear et al. Aug. 26, 1913 1,105,736 Wilkinson Aug. 4, 1914 1,208,646 Power Dec. 12, 1916 2,216,069 Doyle Sept. 24, 1940 2,252,853 Hoover Aug. 19, 1941 

